If I build and sell a small electric outboard motor, will it need to be certified?

[smasterson2]

I am thinking about buying 6hp outboards in bulk without the powerhead and converting them to electric and sell them. Do I need certification and/or a title?

 

[Silvertip]

You need to check with the states in which you intend to sell them. And then I hope you form a business (LLC or similar) or else have a healthy liability policy. The minute you enter the retail business you then have business issues to handle with the government (both state and federal). Think this through carefully!

 

[gm280]

Some Trolling Motors are near that strong. Are you talking about a kicker type motor or what? And like Silvertip stated, you really need to contact a small business consultant in your area to see what it takes to do what you want and also cover yourself with quality insurance as well. Because as sure as the sun rises in the East, somebody will want make themselves a fortune on your product if they get injured. I know that sounds sad, but the world is not how it use to be and folks are looking for their pot of gold however they can these days. :facepalm:

 

[jbcurt00]

Where do you plan to buy 6hp outboards w/out powerheads? In bulk? Overseas?

 

[smasterson2]

You need to check with the states in which you intend to sell them. And then I hope you form a business (LLC or similar) or else have a healthy liability policy. The minute you enter the retail business you then have business issues to handle with the government (both state and federal). Think this through carefully!

Thank you for the advice. I am considering forming a LLC. From what I can tell, for most states, when it comes to electric, title and registration is not required.

 

[smasterson2]

Some Trolling Motors are near that strong. Are you talking about a kicker type motor or what? And like Silvertip stated, you really need to contact a small business consultant in your area to see what it takes to do what you want and also cover yourself with quality insurance as well. Because as sure as the sun rises in the East, somebody will want make themselves a fortune on your product if they get injured. I know that sounds sad, but the world is not how it use to be and folks are looking for their pot of gold however they can these days. :facepalm:

I am talking about a kicker motor. I am talking about a true 6hp motor, not some marketing "equivalent to 6hp" nonsense. The motor is rated at 4.8kw continuous which equates to 5.76 hp. I plan to position the motor to be used for jon boats and 4-5 person inflatables. I can't agree with a trolling motor being a practical application for a primary motor. I plan to fuel the electric motor with 3.2kWh lithium battery modules from Tesla. I do agree and plan to seek a small business consultant and as I am a licensed P&C agent, I intend to maintain a robust GL policy. It is sad how the world has turned to scamming for easy money. Thank you for your advice.

 

[smasterson2]

Where do you plan to buy 6hp outboards w/out powerheads? In bulk? Overseas?

​Hoping Hangkai will.

 

[shrew]

Torqeedo is already doing this. Will you be able to keep up with their engineering, design and marketing? Will you be able to manufacture under their price point? Most importantly, what is the investment in parts and labor? Will you be able to make a profit? If so, how many units will you be able to sell over a given time period?

At the risk of being brutally honest, I would expect that you stand a very good chance to lose money. If not, you stand the chance to make 10's of dollars.

 

[H20Rat]

Torqeedo is already doing this. Will you be able to keep up with their engineering, design and marketing? Will you be able to manufacture under their price point? Most importantly, what is the investment in parts and labor? Will you be able to make a profit? If so, how many units will you be able to sell over a given time period?

At the risk of being brutally honest, I would expect that you stand a very good chance to lose money. If not, you stand the chance to make 10's of dollars.

From what I can gather, the Tesla battery pack of that size will cost roughly the same as the 5hp torqueedo as an entire package... Not much room to make money in there!

 

[JASinIL2006]

About $3800 for the Torqeedo 5HP plus another $2600 for a Li-ion battery. Yikes! Seems like there is some room in that market for price improvement...

 

[roffey]

smasterson2, I think its a great idea. Renewable power supply will be huge, especially on the water. I can see in the not to distant future the EPA's of the world regulating all new boats be electric or at least zero emissions..

 

[shrew]

smasterson2, I think its a great idea. Renewable power supply will be huge, especially on the water. I can see in the not to distant future the EPA's of the world regulating all new boats be electric or at least zero emissions..

Electricity isn't REALLY renewable. Approximately 13.2% of electricity generated comes from renewable sources:

Coal: 38.8%
Natural Gas: 27.4%
Nuclear: 19.5%
Renewables: 13.2%
Other: 1.2% (Not exactly sure what falls into this category)

I seriously doubt Torqeedo is jacking up profits by 1,000%. i'm sure they would love to be competitive price-wise with Dino-motors. Much like the electric car business with the $35,000 equivalent of a Honda civic. But I'm sure, in a garage, in someone's spare time they could show a multi-million dollar corporation with a complete staff of engineers with PHd's in engineering how to do it cheaper and better.

 

[Scott Danforth]

only with 10's of thousands of dollars of subsidies are hybrid and electric cars to the general public actually viable for us working stiffs to buy them. maybe the OP can get subsidized as well.

competition breeds innovation, maybe if the OP can get a few thousand orders......

However the gear train in a standard OB foot is robbing some efficiency as compared to the torqueedo direct-drive planetary gear box setup, so the initial premise of coupling a motor to the OB mid section and foot already has a strike against it.

 

[thumpar]

Electricity isn't REALLY renewable. Approximately 13.2% of electricity generated comes from renewable sources:

Coal: 38.8%
Natural Gas: 27.4%
Nuclear: 19.5%
Renewables: 13.2%
Other: 1.2% (Not exactly sure what falls into this category)

I seriously doubt Torqeedo is jacking up profits by 1,000%. i'm sure they would love to be competitive price-wise with Dino-motors. Much like the electric car business with the $35,000 equivalent of a Honda civic. But I'm sure, in a garage, in someone's spare time they could show a multi-million dollar corporation with a complete staff of engineers with PHd's in engineering how to do it cheaper and better.

Don't forget that the batteries don't last forever. What do you do with them after they are dead? Even the manufacturing of them is not the cleanest.

Luckily I live in eastern WA state where we have mostly hydro power.

 

[smasterson2]

smasterson2, I think its a great idea. Renewable power supply will be huge, especially on the water. I can see in the not to distant future the EPA's of the world regulating all new boats be electric or at least zero emissions..

Thank you. That was very kind.

 

[smasterson2]

Torqeedo is already doing this. Will you be able to keep up with their engineering, design and marketing? Will you be able to manufacture under their price point? Most importantly, what is the investment in parts and labor? Will you be able to make a profit? If so, how many units will you be able to sell over a given time period?

At the risk of being brutally honest, I would expect that you stand a very good chance to lose money. If not, you stand the chance to make 10's of dollars.

From what I can gather, the Tesla battery pack of that size will cost roughly the same as the 5hp torqueedo as an entire package... Not much room to make money in there!

Electricity isn't REALLY renewable. Approximately 13.2% of electricity generated comes from renewable sources:

Coal: 38.8%
Natural Gas: 27.4%
Nuclear: 19.5%
Renewables: 13.2%
Other: 1.2% (Not exactly sure what falls into this category)

I seriously doubt Torqeedo is jacking up profits by 1,000%. i'm sure they would love to be competitive price-wise with Dino-motors. Much like the electric car business with the $35,000 equivalent of a Honda civic. But I'm sure, in a garage, in someone's spare time they could show a multi-million dollar corporation with a complete staff of engineers with PHd's in engineering how to do it cheaper and better.

The goal was to produce a 4 HP electric outboard at the same price as a petrol outboard.

Set aside the price of the charger and the battery pack that will last thousands of charges.

I am going after Torqeedo's Cruise 4.0 Motor

Torqeedo Cruise 4.0 Motor My 6 HP Motor
Power: 4.0KW Power: 4.8KW
Price: $4,298 Price: $2,030

Torqeedo Lithium Battery Pack My Lithium Battery Pack
Voltage: 25.9 Voltage: 54
Capacity: 2.685kWh Capacity: 3.200 kWh
Weight: 53.6 Pounds Weight 52.2 Pounds
Price: $2,599 Price: $1,560

Torqeedo Charger My Charger
Power: 10 Amp 15 Amp
Price: $599 Price: $430

Total cost: $7,496 Total cost: $4,020

My retail prices represent a profit margin of 50% profit at minimum.

 

[GA_Boater]

I am going after Torqeedo's Cruise 4.0 Motor

Torqeedo Cruise 4.0 Motor My 6 HP Motor
Power: 4.0KW Power: 4.8KW
Price: $4,298 Price: $2,030

Torqeedo Lithium Battery Pack My Lithium Battery Pack
Voltage: 25.9 Voltage: 54
Capacity: 2.685kWh Capacity: 3.200 kWh
Weight: 53.6 Pounds Weight 52.2 Pounds
Price: $2,599 Price: $1,560

Torqeedo Charger My Charger
Power: 10 Amp 15 Amp
Price: $599 Price: $430

Total cost: $7,496 Total cost: $4,020

My retail prices represent a profit margin of 50% profit at minimum.

You are not going about this the right way. You are being too open with information. Now Torqeedo knows your plan, prices and profit margins.

 

[mickyryan]

Hmm a 50% profit margin? Gl with that

 

[mickyryan]

I cant believe no one has figured out how to make a powersupply from ocean water yetesp as you move through it

 

[roffey]

Electric motors interest me. I don't know much about them other than they go round in a circle and a piston motor goes up and down and seems to be very inefficient. Gas motors fight newton's law constantly, rotary motors were a little closer but just did not seem to catch. It would seem the power band on a electric motor is limitless and %100 renewable given the right power supply, this really is the way of the future. I bet our grandkids will be laughing at our motors and what we pay to keep them running.

It would or will be cool to strap on a 10 hp motor to a tin fishing boat and boot down the lake at 25 mph and be whisper quiet. All you hear the water on the bottom of the boat.

Go for it Smasterson..... Remember me when you hit the big time.